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The Nervous System: The Neuron

Warm Up

Objective: Scientists will describe the neuron by creating and analyzing a model.

1. What is the topic?

2. What will you be doing?

3. Why is this important?

4. How will you know if you have done well?

Neuron Information

There are three main neurons. Motor neurons are responsible for transmitting signals to activate muscles and glands. Sensory neurons send signals from outside the body into the central nervous system. Interneurons act as connectors between neurons.

Neuron Diagram

Analysis—Answer these on lined paper and staple to this page.

1. What is the purpose of the dendrites?2. What is the purpose of the axon hillock?3. How do the Schwann cells help make the nerve impulse go faster?4. What role does calcium play in the movement of the nerve impulse?5. You may have heard the saying, “Form follows function.” How does the nerve cell reflect this

saying?6. What is different about chemical transmission and electrical transmission of a nerve impulse?7. What would a disease of the myelin sheath (Schwann cells) do to the transmission of nerve

impulses?8. If neurotransmitters bind to the receptors on the next neuron (post-synaptic neuron), what do

you think would happen if a particular drug mimics the neurotransmitter and fits into the receptor, blocking the neurotransmitter from doing its job?

9. What two locations on a neuron membrane can we find synapses?10. Describe the different neurons. Why do we have different types of neurons?